Resolutions for your cat (and you)

MEOW! Can you believe it? Another year is almost history and 2012 is fast approaching. It’s time to make those resolutions once again. And, since we are cat people, resolutions naturally involve the feline friends that bring so much comfort/fun/joy into our lives. This resolution list includes things I’ve decided to do for my kitties. It also includes some excellent advice from the San Antonio Humane Society’s Jenny Bowen, who sent us some resolutions that she hopes all pet people will read and heed. So, without further ado, in 2012 we resolve to:

1. Not serve as many treats. My Gatito begs for them; he’s hard to resist when he fixes his golden-green eyes on me and pleads with an adorable purr. But Gatito has to watch his waistline, according to our vet. So, treats will be handed out with discretion. Along these same lines, Jenny encourages pet owners to help their pudgy pups and kitties to shape up and lose those excess pounds. Not healthy to be overweight whether you’re human or animal.

2. Get moving. My cats are seniors. But that doesn’t mean they should be sedentary. Thus, I resolve to play with them more, get them up and moving. I resolve to encourage healthy exercise and discourage too much snoozing on the sofa. Jenny has a word for dog owners: Resolve to take your dog out more often. A good walk and a change of scenery is good for doggy’s body–and soul.

3. Make health a priority. It’s easy in this busy world of ours to postpone pet exams and wellness checks. But I am going to aim at being more conscientious in this regard. I know that a couple of cats are due for dental work. So, I’m putting away my pennies for that. Jenny advises pet owners to be sure pets are up on their vaccinations, have been spayed or neutered and have routine wellness exams.

4. Spend more time with kitties. I get busy, like most folks. I rush around. I have too much on my plate. So, in the year ahead I resolve to slow down, let the cats sleep in my lap and not constantly be on the run. Jenny suggests taking your dog, if you have one, on at least one family vacation. After all, pets are family members, too, and they love being with us, spending time with us and participating in the things we do.

5.Concentrate on good grooming. I must brush and comb my cats more often–especially Snowball whose long white fur tends to get matted. Brushing and combing is a great bonding experience for person and cats. Ditto, if you have a dog. Jenny didn’t mention this, but I just know she would agree.

6.Donate. Shelters and rescue groups struggle. Rescuing and saving animals is a tough mission and a costly one. If at all possible, I intend to squeeze out some cash from the budget and send it to organizations that need it. And I will try to keep in mind that even if it isn’t much, little donations can add up. So, I will encourage all my friends to donate what they can, too.

7. Get feral visitor neutered. Francis McKenzie, a big gray tom, visits us quite often. He is a very wild one. He has not been neutered. In 2012, his tomcat ways must change. The very same thing is going to happen to Shorty, a Siamese who hangs out down the block.

8. Say thanks. I often am not as appreciative of my kitties as I should be. When a hairball lands on the new rug, I cringe. OK, that is going to stop–the cringing, not the hairball. These inconveniences are all part of pet ownership and part of life. The sour with the sweet, so to speak. And the main thing is: I am thankful beyond measure that cats are in my life, hairballs or not.

9. Volunteer. If at all possible, I would like to do some volunteer work with animals. Already I am a rescuer, so maybe that counts and I’ll just do more of that, helping out with animals in need. Jenny encourages anyone who can to volunteer at the shelter. Homeless animals need to be walked, petted and loved. And the rewards you’ll get, she says, are priceless.

10. Foster. I already am caring for eight precious kitties. That’s my max. But if I could do it, I would foster. And that’s what Jenny suggests to anyone who has room for another animal or who can’t for some reason keep a permanent pet. Fostering prepares the animal to be adopted. It socializes the pet. And in the world of overcrowded shelters, it is a true blessing that saves lives.